Ohio State beat Maryland 45-16 on Saturday, but the comfortable score hid a real problem. Six starters sat out, and head coach Ryan Day admitted Monday that some of the absences had nothing to do with football injuries. With a top-five rematch against Indiana coming Saturday in Bloomington, the Buckeyes may not be at full strength for one of the biggest games of their season.
What Ryan Day said about the missing starters
Speaking on Monday's Buckeye Roundtable show, Day struck a hopeful but cautious tone about whether the lineup heals up in time.
“I don't know if we'll get them all back, but I'm hoping to get the majority of these guys back,” Day said, per Eleven Warriors' Dan Hope. “We'll see how they come in tomorrow. It was kind of a strange week, with some strange things, a few non-football-related issues that popped up. So we just had to manage it the best we could.”
Day did not spell out what those non-football issues were. He said he does not expect all six back, but expects “a good portion of them” available for Indiana.
Which six Ohio State starters missed the Maryland game?
- Brandon Inniss, wide receiver
- Devin McCuin, wide receiver
- Austin Siereveld, offensive lineman
- Phillip Daniels, offensive lineman
- Christian Alliegro, linebacker
- Jay Timmons, nickelback
The situations are not all the same. McCuin and Timmons were game-time decisions and even took part in portions of pregame warmups before sitting out, which gives Ohio State some hope both can play Saturday.
Daniels has missed four straight games since getting hurt against Texas. Day sounded encouraged about his progress.
“I think we can get Phil back,” Day said. “I think he'll have a full week of practice. That's the plan.”
Siereveld, Alliegro, and Inniss all played against Iowa but were ruled out against Maryland. Siereveld's case was the most disruptive: a source familiar with the situation attributed his absence to an illness, not a football injury, and Ohio State learned he would not play only hours before kickoff. Day listed him as “day-to-day.”
How Ohio State adjusted its offensive line
Losing Siereveld that late forced a reshuffle up front. Gabe VanSickle slid over to right tackle and Jake Cook stepped in at right guard. The patchwork line held up fine against a Maryland defense, but Indiana's front is another matter entirely.
Why the Indiana rematch matters so much
Saturday's October 17 meeting in Bloomington is a rematch of last December's Big Ten Championship Game, which Indiana won 13-10. The Hoosiers went on to claim the national title, and both teams enter this weekend ranked in the top five.
For Ohio State, it is a chance to measure itself against the program that knocked it off the conference summit. Doing that with a depleted roster would make the task considerably harder. The next few days of practice should tell Day, and Buckeye fans, who will actually be available.
FAQ
Which Ohio State starters missed the Maryland game?
Wide receivers Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin, offensive linemen Austin Siereveld and Phillip Daniels, linebacker Christian Alliegro, and nickelback Jay Timmons all sat out the 45-16 win over Maryland.
Why did Ryan Day call it a “strange week”?
Day said several non-football-related issues popped up within the program during the week, though he declined to explain what they were or tie them to specific players.
When does Ohio State play Indiana?
The Buckeyes face the Hoosiers on Saturday, October 17, in Bloomington, in a top-five rematch of last year's Big Ten Championship Game, which Indiana won 13-10.